Redefining ‘driver’ in driverless vehicles

photo: Mercedes-Benz

In response to a question from Google, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says in six months they will write guidelines for self-driving cars. The question of ‘who’ ultimately is responsible will be an important starting point for legal, insurance, and safety considerations and is likely to influence other judicial, regulatory, and legislative bodies in the future.

Professor Matthew Johnson-Robertson, University of Michigan, is investigating new robotic approaches to underwater mapping by creating a proposal for drastic cost reduction in deep water monitoring. In his talk, he showed the results from the monitoring of Australia’s Coral Reefs and the archaeological mapping of a 5,000 year-old submerged city, and brand new work in underwater grasping and manipulation.